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Left to Right: Lindsay Birley (EVP DHL Express International), Karen McKeown (Executive Director StandUp for Kids) Kelly Keogh (Director, Corporate Citizenship), Glenn Tillman (St andUp for Kids Street Councilor) Wendy Kiely, Armando Sancerni, & Serafin Cabrera.
I wanted to cover a number of accomplishments SUFK achieved last year thanks to the efforts of DHL and other sponsors:
* We completed out outreach program every Friday last year - all 52 of them!
* We spoke and meet with ~141 street kids in total over the year.
* The funding provided us with more than 256 food and hygiene kits.
* Kids Stats: New ID - 5, Shelter: 7 Education: 4, Clothing: 16.
* We trained a total of 119 volunteers and most of which hand assisted with the outreach program.
* We recently took procession of a storage room in Fort Lauderdale and can now store an abundance of donated items.
* We have our first kid going into a private family with a program to re-enter school and SUFK are in a position to fund his educaation should he express and interest to go on to college.
* While additional funding is always required, we are very well placed to have even a better year in 2007 thanks largely to DHL.
* Again I want to sincerely thanks the employees of DHL Fort Lauderdale for their generosity not only in terms of dollars but with there time and resources. You are making a difference in the lives of children less fortunate than ours.
FOUNDER
AND CEO
VISITS SOUTH
FLORIDA
Rick Koca (StandUp For Kids Founder and CEO pictured
second from right) recently visited South Florida
to meet with our volunteers. Here he is pictured with
the Ft Lauderdale leadership team.
Florida's 2005 Leader
of the Year
 Todd
McIntyre (National Executive Director) presents
Karen McKeown (Ft. Lauderdale Executive Director)
with "Florida's 2005 Leader of the Year".
In one year, Karen single handedly built the Ft.
Lauderdale program from the ground up.
ON THE STREETS
 Fort
Lauderdale has been going strong since June of 2005.
While starting a program can be a long and tedious
undertaking, Karen and the Ft. Lauderdale team have
definitely come out on top!
Starting in 2005, Karen agreed to take
on the Executive Director position. Little did she
know at that time how involved it would become. Having
an extensive background in  volunteering
and owning her own business, StandUp For Kids was
confident that they had put the right person in place!
Karen has proven this time and time again!
The program is now on the streets full
time .jpg) making
a difference to the kids they are coming across. Chris,
for instance (pictured above with Rebekka and left
with Karen) is receiving help on going back to school,
filling the items he asked for (such as a tent to
sleep in), and more imprtantly has found a friend
in the volunteers that give their time unconditionally
every week!
FORT LAUDERDALE PROGRAM ON
TV
 Karen
McKeown (Executive Director for Ft. Lauderdale) and
Zach Bonner (Founder of Little
Red Wagon Foundation) recently did a TV interview.
The show highlights issues and concerns to the community.
WPXP are conducting interviews with people and organizations
that are helping to make south Florida a better place
to live.
WPXP TV Interview - West Palm
Beach
TV Host: Wendy Brown / LRWF:
Zach Bonner/ SU4K: Karen McKeown
"It was my honor to shake hands
with Zach (8) the Founder of the Little
Red Wagon Foundation who generously donated 20
backpacks filled with food, hygiene and first aid
packs for the homeless and runaway youth living on
the streets of Fort Lauderdale. Thank You Zach and
Laurie!" Karen McKeown, Executive Director (pictured
right).
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